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Lean Healthcare – What Are Its Benefits?

There are many reasons why hospitals and healthcare facilities all over the world have begun to implement Lean management principles. Lean healthcare is the latest buzzword in the medical industry and it has been adopted wholeheartedly by hospitals and clinics. Some of its benefits include:

– Reducing wastage of resources such as time and materials: Improved systems in the hospital ensure that only necessary tests are ordered, doctors do not have to spend a lot of time walking around the wards, patients do not have to wait for extended periods before they get treatment or even fill out lots of forms. These are just some of the examples of how the right systems can ensure that resources are spent in the correct manner. In most cases, the savings are dramatic since many processes tend to be inordinately wasteful

– Better patient care: Patients in a Lean healthcare facility have to ensure fewer tests and they are also able to get treatment done without waiting around the medical facility. Also, the improved systems ensure that they get better treatment at a reduced cost. Medical errors are also reduced by a large extent since systems are smoother and duplicate processes are eliminated. Needless to say, patients prefer to come back to this hospital whenever they need medical care.

– Improved employee satisfaction: Physicians, technicians and nurses are generally very pleased to be working at a Lean healthcare facility. They are able to provide high quality healthcare to their patients and this gives them immense satisfaction. At the same time, they are able to achieve this without undergoing a great deal of pressure on their personal or professional fronts.

– Increased profitability: A hospital that makes a lot of profits is able to plough a great deal of money into its infrastructure. This ensures that it is able to invest in the latest equipment and also in employee training. The Lean management process also identifies various processes that are extremely good for business.

It is clear to see that the objective of a Lean hospital is to provide high quality care to as many patients as possible with the least amount of cost and minimum wastage. Therefore, it is no surprise that hospitals, both large and small, are making the transition to this style of management. In fact, the process of changing to Lean management can involve a lot of upheaval in the organization, however the results are always worth it.

Bottom Line: Read about the various benefits that accrue from a Lean healthcare facility. Hospitals all over the world are going Lean because this is clearly the best way to manage them.